Man City hold Ronaldo-less Real in Champions League semis

Manchester City survived a late grilling by Real Madrid thanks to goalkeeper Joe Hart to hold on for a 0-0 draw on Tuesday that keeps alive their hopes of reaching the Champions League final for the first time.

Playing in their first European semi-final for 45 years, Premier League City produced a cagey first-leg display that offered little menace, although crucially they denied free-scoring Real an away goal.

Ten-times champions Real suffered a setback before kickoff when Cristiano Ronaldo, the leading scorer in this season's competition with 16 goals, was ruled out with a thigh injury.

His spark was badly missed in a turgid first half at City's Etihad Stadium, but Real finally came alive after the break and the hosts needed two instinctive late saves from Hart to keep them in the hunt for the second leg at the Bernabeu next week.

"It's too close to call at the moment," City captain Vincent Kompany said. "We couldn't have wished for more. We have 90 minutes left and we'll look forward to next week."

Neither side managed a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, but Real gradually upped their tempo after the break with Gareth Bale increasingly influential.

The Welshman curled one effort wide and had a penalty appeal turned down before substitute Jese looped a header against the crossbar with Hart at full stretch.

Hart saved a Casemiro header with his left foot and then shortly after Pepe looked certain to break the deadlock from point-blank range but Hart blocked the shot with his chest.

City striker Sergio Aguero had a quiet night and their creative department was not helped when David Silva limped off with a hamstring injury after 40 minutes.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini said he would not be fit for the return, although the Chilean was confident his side could prevail in the Spanish capital despite Real having racked up 18 goals without conceding at home in this year's competition.

"If you can't win, then the best draw is zero-zero," he said. "This season we have played very well away. Now we go to the Bernabeu with the same attitude as playing at home.

"Real Madrid must attack a little bit more."

The hosts did produce a late flurry after Raheem Sterling joined the fray from the bench and the winger forced a timely interception from Pepe, while Kevin De Bruyne's inswinging free kick forced Keylor Navas into some rare action.

Full-Time

Real Madrid 0 Man City 0

Manchester City and Real Madrid played out a lacklustre draw in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.

Real went into the match without injured Cristiano Ronaldo and at the breather Karim Benzema was replaced but City failed to take their chances.

In fact it was Real who had a few but Joe Hart stood tall in the City goal.

91" YELLOW! Carvajal is booked but his tackle on De Bruyne could be worth it as the Belgian was steaming in towards goal. 

90" Three mintes added.

89" Pepe has been in his elements today keeping a close check on Aguero and now when Sterling looked in a good position to score Pepe came darting in from nowhere to clear the ball.

86" Isco replaces Kroos.

81" Hart denies Real again, this time blocking Pepe from just three yards away. More than City it looks like Real will score.

80" Real get a free-kick just outside the City box but Bale hits straight into Kompany.

78" Hart pulls off a save with his left boot after Casemiro's header was heading goalwards.

77" Bale hoodwinks two players and runs dangerously into the box but Kompany makes a strong challenge and fells Bale. 

75" Sterling is in for Navas.

73" Bale creates space on the right and with a left footer tries to curls his shot but there's not much in it to find the net. 

72" Raheem Sterling is warming up.Probably Pellegrini needs to come up with something out of the box.

71" Carvajal finds Jese who leaps over Kompany only to see the ball hit the crosspiece although Hart did go full length to punch it over.

70" City need to make it count as Real are without Ronaldo and Benzema.

67" City earn a corner but Navas does well to foil De Bruyne. The frustration shows on the Belgian.

65" Kroos has a half-hearted attempt from 20 yards. Hart dives but the goalkeeper is aware there is no danger to goal. 

61" Casemiro finds Vazquez with a long ball but Kompany is a tough nut to crack and doesn't let go.

57" Good touch shown by Aguero as he gets past Pepe but is blocked by Navas.

53" Finally an attempt at goal from Real. A corner kick sees Ramos make a good contact but Hart is at the right place to collect it.

48" A half-hearted penalty appeal by Bale as he is tackled by Otamendi.It looked like a touch as Bale is floored and looks at the linesman but no luck. 

46" Fernandinho long through ball for Aguero. The Argentinian collects it on top of the box and in a jiffy boots over.

45" Real make a change. Zidane replaces Benzema with Jese. 

Half-Time

Real Madrid 0 Man City 0

Manchester City and Real Madrid played out a lacklustre first half in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.
Gareth Bale worked tirelessly upfront but what lacking support from Benzema. Real must be feeling the absence of the injured Cristiano Ronaldo who was watching the match from the stands.
City had their moments but nothing that was noteworthy.

43" Benzema boots over with two minutes to go for half-time.

38" Silva seems to have hurt himself and is walking out. In comes Iheanacho.

35" YELLOW! David Silva tackles Bale from behind and ends up brining him down.

30" Bale's futile shot deflects off a defender and into the gloves of Hart.

26" Ramos escapes a booking after a challenge on Fernandinho.

25" Early nerves shown by both teams with a lot of mis-passes. City have the edge with a few forays into the Real box but nothing that could unnerve Navas in goal.

23" YELLOW! Pepe is booked for bringing down De Bruyne just outside the box.

18" Bale's working overtime already with a few runs down the right flank. Seems to be lacking support upfront. Vazquez tried to make his presence felt in Ronaldo's absence dribbling past two defenders but Clichy check him before he can do damage.

13" Modric finds Bale on the right who floats it across goalmouth but Benzema is nowhere near the ball. 

10" Casemiro escapes booking after a high tackle on Kompany.

7" Navas does well to cross from the right and the Real defence looks is nowhere but none of the City forwards to are in space to take advantage of it. 

6" David Silva makes a quick run down the left and crosses but the ball has gone past the touchline.

4" Cross from Fernando and Navas is quick to charge out before Aguero can get to the ball.

1" Corner for Real early in the game but City do well to clear it to safety. 

Five minues to go.

The teams are limbering up with the kick-off now just 15 minutes away.

Kick-off in 30 minutes.

Cristiano Ronaldo will not start for Real Madrid but the good news for them is French striker Karim Benzema has shaken off a knock and will play.

Manchester City make five changes from the side which hammered Stoke. Captain Vincent Kompany is back at the back.

TEAMS
City: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Kompany, Clichy, Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, De Bruyne, Silva, Aguero. Subs: Caballero, Zabaleta, Sterling, Kolarov, Delph, Mangala, Iheanacho.

Real Madrid: Navas, Marcelo, Ramos, Pepe, Carvajal, Casemiro, Kroos, Vasquez, Modric, Bale, Benzema. Subs: Casilla, Varane, Rodriguez, Kovacic, Jese, Isco, Danilo.

 

All eyes are going to be on Cristiano Ronaldo a the Etihad Stadium tonight. But whispers are that he is not going to start. Let's wait and see.

Manchester City will be without their midfield powerhouse Yaya Toure in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg at home to Real Madrid after he failed to recover from a leg injury sustained at the weekend.

The Ivorian suffered a muscle injury in the 4-0 win over Stoke City on Saturday and will not feature against the 10-times European champions at the Etihad Stadium.

STAT ATTACK
Man City are undefeated in their last 5 matches in the Champions League

City have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history

City are the lowest rated of the four remaining teams in the Chanmpions League

Sergio Aguero has 28 goals for City this season but only two in CL off 7 matches

Real Madrid have kept a clean sheet in 8 of their last 10 matches in Champions League

Real Madrid have won 6 of their last 7 matches in this competition

Real have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in each of the past six seasons

Madrid have created 136 chances from crosses in league play this season, 19 more than any other team in the five major European leagues

TEAM FORMATIONS
City: 4-2-3-1
Real: 4-3-3

Manager Manuel Pellegrini said former Barcelona player Toure could also be struggling to make next week's second leg.

"Yaya is going to be out, I think. He hasn't recovered from the muscle injury," Pellegrini told a news conference on Monday.

"Tomorrow the two players not on the squad list are (Samir) Nasri, who is not registered, and Yaya who is injured."

City, playing their first European semi-final for 45 years, face the daunting task of containing a Real side who have won their last nine games in Spain's La Liga.

However, despite the threat posed by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, Pellegrini said he will send his players out to attack.

"We won't just try to defend to reach the final. I have always tried to have a team who play good football, play well," Pellegrini, who had a spell in charge of Real, said.

"The way we do it is just as important."

City were beaten by Real's arch-rivals Barcelona at the last-16 stage in the past two seasons, having a player sent off during the tie on both occasions.

Pellegrini said maintaining discipline would be key if they are to overcome Zinedine Zidane's side.

"We need a hot heart and a cold mind - against Barcelona we played with one player less both times. It's very difficult with ten players. We need our emotions under control tomorrow."

While City must do without Toure, captain Vincent Kompany declared himself 100 percent fit having recovered from another calf muscle problem.

"Everything went well (in training) and, as always, unfortunately when you're injured you have to work a lot harder than the rest and that's what I did," he said.

Preview

Manchester City hit the Champions League big time on Tuesday as 10-time champions and European royalty Real Madrid visit the Etihad Stadium for the first leg of their semi-final.

While Madrid are appearing in a record 27th semi-final in the competition, City are making their last-eight bow, eight years on from the club's takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

"I have been through a very long process with this team, so to play a semi-final is something really good, but you want to go to the next stage," the Belgian centre-back Vincent Kompany during Monday's pre-game press conference.

"It is really good to be able to measure yourself against a team like Real Madrid and see how far you have got after so many years.

"Everything that has come for this club has been new. That is what this generation has to deal with. We are embracing it."

Eighteen years to the day before Kompany sat down to address a packed media auditorium at the gleaming City Football Academy training complex, one of his predecessors as captain, Jamie Pollock, scored an own goal against Queens Park Rangers that sent the club into England's third tier.

At the same time, Real Madrid were closing in on their seventh European Cup, with a 1-0 win over Juventus in Amsterdam ending a 22-year wait to reclaim the trophy that they have always considered their own.

An unforgettable volley by Zidane, against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002, secured their ninth European Cup and a header from Gareth Bale inspired a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid in 2014 that yielded 'La Decima'.

Those 18 years have seen City and Madrid's trajectories converge in a fashion that would have been unimaginable in 1998.

La Liga leaders

But with Madrid now just a point below La Liga leaders Barcelona after a stirring revival of nine consecutive league wins under Zidane, who succeeded Rafael Benitez as head coach in January, they arrive in Manchester striving to ensure that the old order will be upheld.

"If anything, I'm surprised they didn't get here earlier," said Bale, the former Tottenham Hotspur winger, of City's progress.

"They've obviously progressed over the years. They've become a force in the Premier League and are starting to be in Europe. They've done very well up to this moment and hopefully now we can stop them."

Zidane provided a double dose of good news on the eve of the game by revealing that Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema - who form Madrid's feted 'BBC' strike-force along with Bale - are expected to play.

Ronaldo sat out Saturday's game at Rayo Vallecano due to a thigh strain, while Benzema hobbled off with a knee problem, which left it to Bale to inspire his team to storm back from 2-0 down and win 3-2.

But Zidane said that both players were "100 percent" fit, which will enable him to field his strongest starting XI.

City's attempts to overcome Barcelona in the last 16 over the previous two seasons were undermined by red cards in three of the ties' four legs and manager Manuel Pellegrini has warned his players not to make the same mistake again.

"Emotionally, it is very important to have a very hot heart, but a cold mind," said the Chilean, who gives way to Pep Guardiola at the season's end.

"At this stage you cannot give a team an advantage to play with one player less and commit unnecessary penalties or things that decide the score."

 

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